Until now, studies in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have focused on just particular segments of the supply chain. However, a world-first new study funded by AWI provides a full cradle-to-grave LCA for the supply chain of a Merino wool jumper. This is the first full LCA of a textile fiber to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. It reports on the environmental impacts of a lightweight Merino wool jumper made from.

The study demonstrates the eco-credentials of wool in a world where there is increasing concern about society’s trend towards ‘fast fashion’ and disposable clothing, and the effect on the environment of synthetic textiles.

AWI Program Manager for Fiber Advocacy and Eco Credentials, Angus Ireland, says the study demonstrates that consideration of the length of time a garment stays in active use is critical in LCA as it strongly affects the garment’s overall environmental impact.

According to Aungus, consumers who are aware that their wool clothes require less washing have the greatest influence on the sustainability of their garments by maximizing their active lifespan.

The study also reveals new ways to improve the efficiency of production, processing, and garment care, which could reduce the environmental impacts from wool.

FESPA has postponed FESPA Mexico 2020 to September 23-25, 2021. Originally scheduled to take place from November 26-28, 2020, the exhibition will again be hosted at the Centro Citibanamex in Mexico City.

In November 2020, FESPA will launch a new online exhibitor showroom for its Mexican specialty print community.

The digital platform will allow regional exhibitors to showcase all their latest news, product launches and videos. In addition, visitors and prospects will be able to network virtually with exhibitors to share ideas and initiate discussions on sales.

The market for nylon textile filament remained distressed in July 2020 as raw materials prices declined and demand in a traditional off-season contracted. As CCF Group reports, demand for nylon textile filament began to wane in mid-June with the situation worsening in July. Sales/production ratio of NFY plants declined to 50-70 per cent with very few mills achieving 80 or higher production. This led to rising NFY inventory through day on day to over 30 days by July 23.

From April to June, fabric mills maintained production levels on account of expected rise in feedstock market and recovery of exports. However, since domestic demand in China gradually entered the off-season, their expectations were not fulfilled, and their inventories had risen to 1.5 months or more. Huge inventory pressure led to a collapse in market prices and dumping of stocks at profit-losing rates.

The fall in prices of nylon raw materials sharply aggravated the pessimism of fabric mills which preferred to cut their feedstock consumption rather reducing production.

To compensate for the lack of export orders, textiles and clothing firms in Vietnam seek to expand in the EU market. In the first eight months of 2020, revenues from Vietnam’s textiles decreased by 11.6 per cent. According to Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), this decline is expected to continue by 15 percent until the end of the year.

Although domestic consumption is anticipated to rise 5 per cent by the end of 2020, Le Tein Truong, General Director, Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), does not expect this to compensate for the shortage of export orders. The EVFTA deal enables businesses to hit an export turnover of $7 billion. For Vietnam to benefit entirely from EVFTA, businesses should shorten delivery times and simplify administrative processes, minimize clearance and time of inspection, adds Truong.

Manufacturers should also start using the accumulated rules of origin to import products out of countries that have signed FTA with Vietnam and the EU. They should also work in the field of sports, medical and advanced textiles and workwear, hi-tech, and developing manufacturing technology, enhancing the capability of management and engaging in social and environmental factors.

Textile Ministry’s Committee on Cotton Production and Consumption projects India’s cotton production to rise by 2 per cent to 357 lakh bales during the year 2019-20, at 453.82 kg per hectare as against 444.74 kg last year. The newly constituted Committee, formed after the abolition of the Cotton Advisory Body, officially projected India’s closing stock for 2019-20 at 105.44 lakh bales following sharp dip in mills’ and small scale industries’ consumption.

The committee reported a 11 per cent increase in cotton yield in Maharashtra at 337.6 kg per hectare, as against 304.29 kg per ha last year. While yield has declined in North India by about 14 per cent on average, it has increased in southern India with an average about 15 per cent jump over last year. As per official data released by the Textile Ministry, India’s cotton cultivation for 2019-20 was recorded at 133.73 lakh hectare.

Kharif cotton sowing in the current year has declined by 3 per cent to 129.5 lakh hectare. This is in contrast to the trade’s estimation of higher sowing happening this year.

Marks & Spencer is re-launching its popular “Shwopping” clothing recycling program after months of inactivity. On October 1, the British retailer will revive the 12-year-old upcycling and resale scheme after shutting it down in March amid the retail lockdown. The company will collect donated clothes at 287 of its retail stores and send these charitable collective Oxfam, which brings together more than 20 global charities in an effort to alleviate poverty.

The charity will resell these clothing in one of its shops or on the web, while some donations will be sent to its social enterprise in Senegal. Unsalable merchandize will sent to M&S’ Wastesaver facility to be recycled into new materials, like filling for mattresses. M&S has also taken steps to support a more sustainable shopping journey online. It has begun including details about the eco-friendly raw materials it uses on its product pages, totaling 4,000 so far, and touts itself as the first major U.K. retailer to publish information about each of its factory partners, available through a web-based interactive map.

Chic Shanghai was held from September 23-25 on a smaller scale and without its international attendees. The three-day fair drew 43,986 visitors and was spread over 52,000 sq m. Although daily life in China has normalized after the pandemic, majority of Chinese suppliers are still facing rough times. One such supplier is Shanghai Langkun Textile Co which attended Chic Shanghai for the first time instead of international clothing shows.

Another attendee, Shanghai Langku has reported a major drop in orders since April while Mill de Lin, a linen specialist, would end the year flat compared to 2019 buoyed by local business.

Other than a domestic pivot, Chic also provided online ways to connect. In April, it created an online platform for the industry to use completely free of charge. The Chic mini-program was also utilized with this most recent fair with industry panels livestreamed and some transactions able to make use of 3-D digital sampling.

Burberry Group has priced its inaugural ‘Sustainability Bond’. This is the first sustainability bond issued by the luxury fashion company and will introduce long-term financing into the company’s capital structure. The proceeds from the bond will be used to finance and/or refinance eligible sustainable projects as described by Burberry’s Sustainability Bond Framework.

The bond is expected to be rated Baa2 by Moody’s Investors Services, and will be issued pursuant to Burberry’s Sustainability Bond Framework. The bond will be guaranteed by the Burberry group entities which also guarantee the £300 million Revolving Credit Facility. The Bond will be offered to professional investors and eligible counterparties. Applications will be made for the admission of the bond to be listed on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and to be traded on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Burberry has a conservative capital allocation policy. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, it drew down its £300 million Revolving Credit Facility (the ‘RCF drawings’) and issued £300 million of short-dated commercial paper under the Bank of England’s COVID Commercial Financing Facility with a maturity in March 2021.

A survey conducted by law firm Foley & Lardner LLP indicates, manufacturing executives expect the COVID-19 pandemic to change their supply chains completely. Titled, ‘Global Supply Chain Disruption and Future Strategies’, the survey draws on responses from nearly 150 manufacturing executives – majority of who are members of their company’s C-suite, and work in a wide array of industries.

Foley delves deeper into the issues highlighted in the survey in its newly published Accelerating Trends: Assessing the Supply Chain in a Post-Pandemic World report, which provides business insights and guidance for companies reviewing supply chain processes to mitigate risk, evaluating a shift in supply chains away from China, and using new technologies to improve efficiency.

The Foley reports also analyze the extent to which COVID-19 has accelerated the movement of production and sourcing away from China. Around 59 per cent reported either having already withdrawn operations, or are in the process of doing so, or are considering it. The Accelerating Trends report analyzes the key costs, benefits, and risks to consider in several regions that present alternatives to China. The survey findings state, the result of this analysis has increasingly led companies to move supply chains closer to home to either the US, Mexico or Canada.

The report identifies eight specific areas that are expected to see greater investments and provides guidance on how they stack up against each other in terms of resilience, cost, and maturity. In addition, survey respondents identified the top technologies they are considering as new tools or applications that improve supply chain visibility and tracking and operational analytics to better track business metrics and indicators.

With China being the only major economy expected to show growth this year, global luxury brands are depending on Chinese consumers for sales reports Reuters. Luxury brands are doubling investments in the Chinese market besides embracing e-commerce and pushing ahead with store openings. They are also holding lavish events to attract consumers. Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh held a Spring/Summer fashion show before a live audience in Shanghai last month. Prada also hosted private viewings of its new collection last week in Shanghai.

Prada’s China sales jumped 60 per cent in June and 66 per cent in July, while those of Louis Vuitton and Dior doubled in some weeks since March. The Chinese will account for around half of all global spending on high-end brands in 2020, a 37 per cent last year, says McKinsey & Company. However, total global luxury spending is expected to plunge by 35 per cent from last year’s $300 billion, according to consultancy Bain.

The Chinese government has long sought to bring some of the money splashed abroad by its citizens overseas back home. It cut import tariffs in 2018, enabling luxury brands to reduce their China prices, while this year in Hainan, it has expanded the amount of duty-free shopping allowed to 100,000 yuan ($14,650) from 30,000 yuan as well as the types and number of products allowed.

China skews younger with many luxury consumers between 25-35 years. Its innovative services like livestreaming enables luxury brands to more directly connect to shoppers.